Embodiments of the inventive concept relate generally to electronic memory technologies. More particularly, embodiments of the inventive concept relate to non-volatile memory devices, systems, and cell arrays.
Semiconductor memory devices can be roughly divided into two categories according to whether they retain stored data when disconnected from power. These categories include volatile memory devices, which lose stored data when disconnected from power, and non-volatile memory devices, which retain stored data when disconnected from power. Examples of volatile memory devices include dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM). Examples of non-volatile memory devices include masked read-only memory (MROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).
Non-volatile memory devices have achieved increasing popularity in recent years due to improvements in performance, as well as the proliferation of portable electronic devices. Accordingly, to satisfy increasing demand, researchers continue to seek new ways to improve the performance and storage capacity of non-volatile memory devices.